What is reproductive coercion?

Reproductive coercion is a pattern of abusive behaviors used by one person to maintain power and control over another person’s reproductive health and reproductive choices, often a current or former spouse or dating partner, though sometimes it can be perpetrated by family members.

Anyone of any gender identity can experience or perpetrate this form of abuse.

Reproductive coercion often, though not always, centers around either forcing a partner to become pregnant so that they are more dependent and isolated, or intentionally getting oneself pregnant so the other partner is "trapped" in the relationship, such as through lying about being on birth control.

On the flip side, sometimes abusive partners do not want a child to enter their life. This could be due to financial obligation, and it may also be due to the abusive partner's jealousy and not wanting to "share" their partner with the child.

Reproductive coercion may include:

• Birth control sabotage, which may look like poking holes in condoms, removing condoms during sexual intercourse or sexual activity without the permission or knowledge of the victimized partner, removing someone's IUD, flushing a partner's birth control pills down the toilet or hiding or destroying them, replacing birth control pills with placebo pills, etc.

• Pregnancy control, such as forcing someone to get pregnant, threatening to leave or cheat on them if they don't get pregnant, raping someone to impregnate them, forcing a partner to have an abortion, injuring a partner to attempt to cause a miscarriage, forcing rapid repeat pregnancies so one partner is frequently pregnant, denying one partner access to emergency contraception, and more.

• Sexual coercion, such as intentionally exposing a partner to an STI, sexually assaulting a partner through the use of drugs and alcohol to facilitate violence, threatening a partner if they don't engage in sexual activity, threatening to hurt a partner's loved ones if they don't engage in sexual activity, and more.

What are resources for reproductive coercion?

If you are experiencing reproductive coercion, a domestic violence agency and family planning clinic may be able to help you navigate your contraception options and find a method that is safest for you. Please know that “crisis pregnancy centers” (CPCs) are not welcoming nor supportive options and are often used to coerce individuals into not having abortions. To identify a list of CPCs to avoid, please use this map.

This is a guide to reproductive coercion written by the National Domestic Violence Hotline. The guide offers various examples of reproductive coercion, including birth control sabotage and pregnancy control, in addition to safety planning strategies and how to seek help.

The Community Solutions Reproductive Coercion Toolkit offers self-quizzes about reproductive coercion, a fact sheet about domestic violence and reproductive coercion, and safety planning tools for survivors.

This contraceptive chart from Children by Choice lists the various contraceptive methods and their risk of being detected by an abusive partner. Options beyond condoms or birth control pills may include an implant, Depo, an IUD with the strings cut, etc. It's important that if you do choose to obtain a different method of birth control, that you discuss with the provider the risks of detection by your partner if you choose to remain in the relationship.

If you are not allowed to leave the house, Nurx offers free, fast shipping on birth control and home STI kits. Shipments are delivered in discreet packages.

If you are in the U.S., you can search for your nearest Planned Parenthood here. These health centers offer contraceptive counseling with staff experienced in the dynamics of reproductive coercion.

If you are not in the U.S., you can search for your nearest Planned Parenthood agency through the International Planned Parenthood Federation or search the Marie Stopes International directory for international contraception and abortion services. You can also utilize the National Network of Abortion Funds as a resource.